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NEEMAM'S FAILURE
_
By JOSEPH HATTON.
Author c f "The Queen of Bohemia," "The
Three Recruits," Etc.
CHAPTER VI.
A diabolical fate plats into diaboli
cal ha>:ds.
"No, be must not come to dinner,", said
Needham to himself tin Saturday morning;
"no, that might compromisa the situation.
Supper? U the house sat on Saturday
night, yes; but hardly without; the ser
vants must not sea him."
Need ham was in hi; bedroom. He had
had a cap of tea and dry toast sent up?a
very unusual thing with him. He was
walking softly to and fro in his dressing
gown and slip]>ers. There was something
tigerish in his trait, and something stealthy,
catlike.
"He has no position to maintain," be
went on, sometimes uttering his thoughts
in a whisper, sometimes pausing to bite
them, as i; wore, into Iiis mind and pur
pose, as the modern engraver bites his lines
into the tune with a burning acid; "a
widowecaud unhappy, no future, no pub
lic life, no lost reputation to rehabilitate,
no father cr mother alive, a sister who is
engaged to be married and he simply goes
to New York for change, the excuse being
a possible windfall of property; fearless of
death, evidently, and possibly caring little
for Ufa Yesterday I cared for neither; to
day, with this new possibility, I long for it;
but let me be no hypocrite at this moment
The old people in Ireland?can my life,
under the circumstances, be anything to
them? No. Whatever happens, I shall to
morrow be dead to them, dead to the
world; and if the devil at my elbow, the
friend who has kept me awake all the
night, have his will, I shall be a murderer
?alive, safe, with money, free from debt,
but with the blackest of all crime* to top
the rest of my iniquities."
He sat now, cross-legged, on a chair op
posite the looking glass on his toilet table;
sat and looked at his pale face, his bloodshot
ejts, his com pressed hps, with nowand then
bis left canine tooth showing.
"There is no going back in crime," he
said, addressing himself. "You know there
is not When you think you have come to
the finish, anew road opens up to you, a
new way to boll! You would confess and
hope, would you? When there was no hope
?only then?when the gub* was at your
feet, when the pit were there and the devil
with his hand upon your throat to hurl you
in. But now he brings you a substitute,
and you are ready to continue your wicked
march, even to wado in blood. And there
are people who do not believo in the devil I"
The sun shone into tbe room, and darting
upon a pair of razors that were lying before
bun, mode a mocking reflection upon the
wall He got up from the chair and
watched it
"Better cut my throat and save my soul!
Is that the suggestion?" he said. "No. It
is murder, either way. If I kill myself it is
murder; if I kill him it is murder. One
sin is as black as the other. But the hint is
worth taking in another direction. I will
carry you in my pocket, a friend in need."
He placed one of the razors in its cose,
and taking up his frock* coat (which was
laid ready brushed with his other clothes
near the table) put it into his breast pocket
"The poison might not work," he said. ltl
must make no mistake. The same initials,
too?J. N. It would be like flying in the
face of prov?no, the devil?to refuse such
an opportunity. J. N. is on my linen, VJ.
N. on his. J. N. on his trunks-*
He was interrupted by a knock at tfco
door.
"Ye3."
"Mr. Nolan, sir," said the servant
"Is it so late?" Needham remarked, look*
Ing at his watch before ans wering his S6*?
vant.
"Ask him to wait."
"Yes, sir; and a lottor by haud, sir."
"Oh, leave it on the table."
"Yes, sir."
"No, bring it in."
"Yes, sir."
The servant entered and gave him tLo
letter.
"Mr. Nolan will breakfast"
"Yes, sir."
Ho opened the letter and looked at the
signature.
"Joseph Norbury f he exclaimed.
Then he weut in a stealthy way to tbe
door and locked it
"Dear Mr. Needham," he read, please ac
cept ajy host thanks for ?ne two letters of
introduction, I very much appreciate your
kindness. This morning I have a lotter
from my lawyer in Derbyshire, stating that
he will be in town to-day at six Ho ha3
invited himself to dine with mo and talk
over business. This is unfortunate-"
Here Needham looked up from the letter,
and remarked to himself, "I don't know?
perhaps it is?perhaps not. At all events J
am equal to either fortune."
Then turning to the letter again he read,
'Taut my visitor lcavo3 for Richmond at
nine or teu, and if in begging your uk
dulgenco to excuse me from withdrawfag
nay acceptance of your kind invitation to
dinner, I may be allowed to come round to
you and smoke a cigar after my friend has
left for Riebmond, I shall be very glad to
do so, and to receive your further letters
and advice in respect of my journoy to
New York. Do not trouble to answer this.
I shall take my chances of finding you, and
as I shall have nothing else to do it will not
inconvenience me at all if it should bo in
convenient for you t<? remain at homo.
"Yours very truly,
"Joseph Norbuby."
"ProvHonco or the devil has a hand in
this!" Needham exclaimed. "It cannot bo
providence, for providence has written it
down hard and strong, and engraven it on
the mountain stone, 'Thou shalt do no mur
der.' Satau then? Or Fate? Or Destiny?
Two lives bau? in th; balauce. Fate, or
Destiny, or providence, or the devil know
it. They claim the right to elect which is to
bo the victim. Ho is picked out from
million5!, and under marvellous circum
stances, and brought to London in the nick
of titno. Tho circumstances which will
attecd his removal, bis substitution for
another, are made to fit into tbe occasion.
Every detail ot the affair is moMed for
me. It is us if, like tbe patriarch of old, I
had found a ram caught in tho thicket,
ready to take the place of this other sacri
fice; or tho dagger that pointoJ the way to
Duncan's chamber; or liko the omen that
encouraged Tarquin. But what is to bo the
end? Will not the unseen ministers claim
me and dam me at last? There's tbe rub.
But sufficient for the day is tho evil thereof.
I will go on?Fate continuing propitious?
if I swing for it"
His face was livid now, his lips fixod and
Cruel, and he paced his chamber as he had
done before, tigerishly, pausing now and
then to mutter and talk. Presently he took
the razor from his coat pocket and put it
into the pocket of his dressing gown.
"I will dress later," hu said; "Diolan will
be tired of waiting."
Then ho thrust Norbury's lettor into his
pocket with the razor, washed his hands,
brushed his thin hair, ami tightening the
waist band of his dressing gown, glide 1
catlike into the diniug-room, where he
fovnd bis confidential solicitor walking
about impatiently, one hand in his poofeec,
the other winging his eyeglasses about
"I have kept you too long,, pray excuse
me," smd Mr. Needham; "I did not go to
bed until vary late."
"I should judge so, for all the years I
have known yon I havo never seen you in a
dressing .gown before," said Nolan.
"And you shall never see mo again in one
if my appearance so offends you. I suppose
you are thinking at this moment what could
have inJuced my constituents to call me
a fop?"
"No, my friend, I was not thinking of
anything so!frivolous. I have received by
this morning's post a very strange letter
impugning the roah'ty of tho Broad wood
trust and mortgage deeds. I have accepted
service of writs for fifty thousand pounds,
and tho city this morning talks of nothing
but your financial rujn. Tbey say that you
cannot last twenty-four hours. What is to
be done? Can I do anything? I am only
here to ask these two questions."
"Thank you, Nolan; your sympathy
touches ma," said Needham. "I feel as if I
had lost my hold on things and on life; that
is a fact"
"You look it" said Nolan.
"I nm ill; but I shall pull through."
"You never lacked courage. Look at the
difficulty straight in the face; your honor
is intact;you have only been unfortunate."
"I hope you may always think so. Per
haps that strange letter you speak of may
undeceive you, who knows? But, my dear
Nolan, wait Monday morning may do
wonders for us. I think it will You will
take breakfast?"
"No, thank you, I cannot stay."
"Ye3, you can, you must, dear friend. I
have business of the last importance to
speak about" '
Mr. Nolan did stay to breakfast and re
mained until late in the of ternoon. He did
not return to the oity, but was driven home
in Needbom's carriage. On its return Need
ham said to the driver:
"John, I want you to catch the next train
to Leighton Buzzard. I don't mean to drive
to the station. Put your horses up and go
yourself. I have a message for you to
Dick and some medicine for the horses.
And James-"
"Yes, sir," said the footman.
"I wish you to go with John."
"Yes, sir."
"I shall not want you here. I am going
out to-morrow."
"Yes, sir."
"You w?l stay ail night at Leighton
Buzzard and meet me, both of you, with the
dog cart at the Loighton station, at the first
train ?n Monday."
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Needham looked at his watch.
"You have two hours to put up your
horses and go to the station. When you
are ready I have a bottle for you."
"Yes, sir," said the two servants to
gether.
They took a bottle down to Leighton,
with a note from the master; but it was not
the bottle which had boon delivered at Port
land place with so much ceremony the day
before. John, however, was instructed not
to open the parcel until Monday morning,
when Mr. Neodham would instruct him m
the asa of it
Wiion the two men servants had gone,
Mr. Needham (having oskod John to leave
the stable key on the study table) went into
tho yard and smoked a cigar there?a very
unusual thing for him to do. Ho went into
the stables, and patted tho cob which ho
used for city work in his singlo brougham.
Then ho examine 1 the harness and tho
brougham, strolling in and out of tin
stables, the harness-room and the coach
house. After a whilo ho carried the cob's
harness into tin stable and put it on. He
pooped out into the yard to sea if ho was
noticed. No, all was quiet Ho then ex
online?! the brougham, came back and
looked at tho traces; went back to the
coach house, returned to tho stable, un
harnessed tho cob, patted its neck, replaced
the harnoss; then picked up tho cigar ho
had laid on a window lodge, and wont back
to his room.
"I might do it somo other way," he said
to himself, "did not fate and circumstance
point to the ono way?my way?the way I
was going myself. My own plans are laid?
they are simple and natural, and I see them
in.Uotail from first to lost On tho eve of
their fulfilment there comes to mo this sub
stitute, this second self, to take my place.
If I accept him, I should put him into my
place, detail lor detail, and the only way is
to drive him to tho spot where tho body of
John Need bam is to be discovered. Tnoro
is no otbor way; but tho doing of it the
successful carrying out of such a substitu
tion of me for another?what an undertak
ing! It must be done quickly and with l
firm hand. What if I bungle as I havo done
so of ton of late? What if I bungle and am
detected in the midst of my work? ' Well,
there will be poison enough for both of us.
1 feel as if I had already taken some noxious
stuff into my veins. - Men who commit
murdor must first be mad. It is insanity
My will is moved by some other power than
my own. It is as if I woro creeping and
crouching for my prey ; and I grow hot and
cold."
Ho paced the room in that catlike, tiger
ish way which had previously character
ited his movements, and he paused to catch
sight of his pale face in a mirror?palo fao?
and bloodless hps. Presently he sat down
again?sat at his desk and sorted papers.
Then he made some memoranda in his diary,
took a bundle of bank notes from the safe,
and placed them in a pockotbcok. Pres
ently Lo rung the bell.
"Send the cook to mo," he said to the
parlor maid" who answered the bell.
"Yes, sir."
"And, Mary?"
"Yos, sir."
"Wore you ever at tho oporaF
"Yes, sir; thunk yon, sir."
"It is a p;reat night at tho opera t?-night
Would you like to go to-night!"
"Thank you, sir."
'?You shall, thon, and Jauo as well; thore
is only Jano besides tho cook, eh?"
"And Sarah, sir."
"Well, lsball not be homo until very late
to-night, and you can all go. I will got
seats for you in tho upper circle; I shall
be there, so shall expect to soe you in your
places."
"Thank you, sir."
"And let mo soo, 1 supposo Rogers would
not mind taking chnrgo of you, eh?"
"Don'tknow, I'm sure, sir."
"Ah, well" I will spoak to him?that will
do."
"Thank you, sir," she said, and bowed
herself out of the room.
"Master's gone mad!'' sho exclaimed.
"Clean mad?mad as a hatterl Whoro's
Rogers?'
"In tho butler's pantry."
"I want to spenk to him; if ever there
was a hatter as was mad, master's him!"
Mary flow to the butler, wIkj recoivod her
request with some incredulity and consider
able loss of dignity.
"Me take charge of a lot of kitchen
wenches at the hopera; Mary, it's you as is
mad!" said the butler.
His bell rang out as ho spoke.
"'Ow^ver, we'll see about it now; there's
the governor's bill;" and Mr. Rogers went
pompously forth to the stu ly.
Atter shaking with the master ho visited
! the housekeeper's room, and not finding
j Mrs. Short went back into the kitchen.
"Where's Mrs. Short?" ha asked,
j "Gone to Leighton Buzzard; muster ox
j pects coiupauy there ou Monday," said tho
cook. . . . .. _ .
"Mary, Ws you as is mad!"
"Well!" exclaimed Mary, "is it true?"
"Not as he's mad, no ; but peculiar; its
bis birthday, and be says that he feels that
he'd like us to keep it?that is, you and me
and Mary and Jane and Sarah; and he has
ordered a supper for us after tho opora, and,
he says, as it's the fust treat as he's given
us, he'd lite it to be special you see, and
he's asked me as a favor to take charge of
it; and cook is not to go to the opera, but
she's to go to the Crown, where he's ordered
the supper at ten o'clock, and help the
Crown to do the thing proper, and he pre
fers it to having it hire, and thinks it will
be more jolly liko; and he won't want no*
body at home, as him and Lawyer Nolan is
agoing to do soma work together, because
master's going to Laighton Buzzard on
Monday and then to Ireland for a week,"
Mary, nevertheless, contended that the
master was "mad and looked it," and she
was '"dead sure of it,V when the butler be
ing recalled by Mr. Needham returned to
say they could each invite a friend to the
supper at the Crown. On the other hand,
th 3 cook contended that he was getting to
be a lonely man, and consequently begin
ning to "think of others a little," and for
her part she always felt he was "a goed
sort/' and now he was "a beginning to show
it"
In the meantime, Mr. Needham called
at the Opera booking office, and paid a visit
to the Crown tavern (a coachman's resort
near Brunswick place), at which latter
place he arranged for the supper, and was
voted a 'Tegular brick" by tho landlord
and his wife. Then he strolled into Oxford
street and purchased a strong narcotic. Ho
walked and felt (and he thought so, com
muning with himself in bis strange way)
as if he were in a dream, but knew he
was.awake?as if be was led on?as if he
was destined to do a cruel thing, and could
not resist it Somo of his forgeries, his
desperate attempts to keap his head above
the eddies of financial trouble, had been
done under tho influence of a similar in
stinct?a kind of impulse?as if his evil
nature was altogether beyond tho control
of his moral faculties.
"Is a man responsible for what he does
when he is fighting for life in a whirlpool?"
Needham was muttering to himself as he
walked back to Portland place. "Adrown
ing man snatches at straws; and if another
man comes along ho clutches at him, ovoa
though thoy both sink together. In his
blind despair ho wUl clutch at tho swimmer
who comes to his rescue, aud cling to him
madly without reasoning, until the rescuer
is smothered, and perhaps the drowning
man floats safely to tho shore clinging to
tho dead. It must bo that it is intendod I
should five; but London asks a sacrifice,
the banks ask a sacrifice; financial honor
calls for a victim; the widows and tho
orphans cry aloud for vengeance; and lo.
and behold! Fate sends tbe sacrifice in lieu
of tho ono that was prepared. Who knows
that I may not bo destined to atone to all
these people, to repa/ them, to re-endow
their iistitutions and their homes?"
It was a ghastly smile that flickorod on
bis lips at this latter thought, as if the fiend
within him rojoicod at his hypocrisy.
As the solemn clock 0:1 his library mantel
pieco pointed to a quarter to eight ho stood
within tho shadow of the silk curtains and
saw the ltut of his little crowd of attendants
trooping out into Portland place towards
Oxford Circus on their way to tho opora
The sun had sot in lowering clouds, and
there was promiso in tho chnnging wind 0/
a wet, dark night. He noted these signs,
and said to himself:
"Everything in earth and heaven, if I
may use that word, favors tiny escape, and
points the road to freedom."
CHAPTER Vn.
DJ WHICH A SILENT PASSENGER 13 DRIVET
INTO THE DARKNESS.
Oddly enough, at 9:80, just a3 Mr. Joseph
Norbury was walking up to the door of Mr
Neodbam's house, tho door was open, one*
the ownor himself was taking off Ids coa'
in tho hall.
"Ah!" he said, "this is lucky. I left
word if you cair.o in my"absonce that tbero
was coffee, and cigars, and wine, and soda^
and brandy, in tha library, and that .
hoped you would make yourself at home
I felt sure I should bo back in time, there
or thereabouts. I have been walking asf
os the Bath botol with an old friend from
Dublin, who is so occontric thus h> will
never trust himself in a cab or carriage in
London, and I had just let myself in with
my latch key?bachelor fashion. Come in;
I am very glad to sea you."
He shook Nor bury's hand warmly and
then, speaking as if addrossing a servant
whom he professed to boar approaching, he
said, "It is only I, Rogers, and Mr. Nor
bury; we can And our way to the library,
and don't let us bo disturbed."
The truth was bo and Norbury were alone
in tho bougie.
"I live very simply," ho said, loading the
way to the library; "an old bachelor, aud I
disliko giving trouble,"
"I bops your servants appreciate your
consideration," said Norbury.
"Oh, yes, I tiiink thoy do," he nuswered.
"Now sit in this chair; pray bcliovo I am
sorry not to liavo hod the pleasuro of your
company at uinnor. Asyou could not come,
I simply had a chop, and cleared up a little
business with my secretary. I hop-3 you
will liko theso cigars."
"Thank you," sail the guest, taking a
Habana from the box which his host pushed
toward him. "You are very kiml. The
disappointment is mine. My lawyer is an
old friend, and 1 could not well, on tho ovo
of leaving tho country, obstruct his ar
rangements, seeing that they were chwfly
in my interest"
"Will you Uike coffee? I havo it hero,
you sea No trouble."
He pointed to a silver coffoa urn, under
Which was curling a thiu bluo flame.
"My butler hail just placed it ready as
wo came in?a little cafe noir."
"Thank you," said Norbury.
The host assisted bis ^uost and himself to
coffee, but Needham took no brandy.
"And what is your bot?l in New York?'
" 'Tho New York.' it is called.''
"You have written them advising them
of your coming, of courso?'
"Yes, I wrote about ten days since."
"Always so much pleasaiitor to bo ox
pecteJ," said Needham. "I have written
tho letters I mentioned; I think thoy will
'w of service to you. You spoke of your
sister hist evening; is she likely to join
vouf I
"Ob, no, I do not expect to stay long;
moreover, she is engaged to be married,
and I am ratfler a selfish follow, I fear.
She has been my housekeeper ever sinco tho
death of my wife, and I hate parting with
bor."
Just as a conjurer "forces" a card upon
you, so Noadhaiu by oxamplo seomcd to
force the cafe-noir on Nor bury by binisolf
drinking in a somewhat ostentatiou? way.
Then ho led his guest into talking of his
illness, and^the reasons why his doctor ad
visod change, prcfo.-siug to sympathize
with him, and at tho same time tolbng him
of the sudden death of a friend who had
developad similar symptoms. Norbury was
thus brought Into a framo of mind lhat
might possibly prepare him to cxpjricnce
without surprise a sudden symptom of
illness.
"As for death," he said, "there was a
timo whon I had a horror of it. but all that
massed away when Host my wife. I am no
Junger afraid of death?1 havo often wished
for it. Don't you think our education upon
this matter ii alt jgother wrongf
"In respect to the preparation for doath?"
asked Needham in reply, weighing his
words and pressing his feet upon the'floor
as if to steady his Derves.
"Yas. Many of the Oriental races have
no fear of death. The Chinese regard it as
nothing; tho Japanese will commit 'the
happy dispatch' smilingly. A Chinaman
doomol to the headsman finds a substitute
on payment of a sum of money to his fam
ily. Death being the only certain thing fn
life, the penalty of life, we ought to accept
it as a matter of course and not moke a
horror of it Children should be brought
up with these views."
"Indeed I rhin:i you are right" "aid
Needham; "but I have never reflected
milch upon death, and I can hardly realize
the condition of a man who could volun
tarily take the place of a condemned crim
inal."
"Some poor devil whoso life was a fail
ure, and who really loved his family and
saw in his death their release from poverty
and persecution, and particularly an Orien
tal?could you not reolizo the idea of a
mac courting death under such condi
tions!"
"Oh, yes, I think I could," said Needham,
"but I could better understand his fighting
to the la3t and then committing suicide"
"There lam not with you. Suicido is a
coward's act Wo are here for weal or woe
to run our course-"?
* But would not your Oriental friend who
gives himself up as a ?ubstitufcj for another
be practically guilty ef his own death?"
"Ah, to d?cuss that," replied Norbury,
"would be to chop logic after the manner
of the grave diggers in Hamlet After all,
Mr. Needham, the one great thing is to bo
prepared. As Hamlet himself said, on his
way to that fatal fencing bout 'The readi
iness is all"
As he spoke Norbury sank slowly back in
his chair.
"Dear, dear!" exclaimed Needham;
"you are ill?a little brandy,, the room is
close, there is thunder in the air."
Taking from the mantelshelf a silver cup
(which contained a carefully-measured and
deadly doso of oil of almonds) he poured a
little brandy into it, shook it together, and
pressing tho cup to the hps of his rtupafled
guest forced tho contents down his throat
THE MURDEB.
And then, ono hand clutching the back of
a chair for support, ho watched his victim;
watched him with staring eyos and half
prrted lips, and with his guilty hoart
thumping at his ribs, as if it would pound
its way through them; he pressed bis left
hand over it as if to hold it back, while his
right hand draggod the chair as ho fell
back a paco or two contemplating the
dying man. Thon with a sudden effort he
tore off his coat and flung it over the terri
bly upbraiding eyes of his murdered guest.
This done he stood again apart, away
from the dread thing "now half covered up
in the chair?stood and waited and trem
bled, waited and waitod, it seemed hours,
though tho timo in which so much ovil had
been accomplished was very short. Pres
ently he thought ho heard a footstep in the
house; then he thought there was a listener
at tho door. It required a tremondoui
effort to move; but at lost ho crept to thtj
door, opened it and listened. Tho hall
clock was beating out the time in its usual
way, but to Needham tho souud was omin
ous; it had a deathly sound, a warning
sound, and it seemed to throaton him.
Ho wont into the hall It was dark. Ho
had purposely allowed tho gas to remain
unlightod. A flicker of the street lamp
came in over the glass above tho door.
There was a lantern on the hall table. He
crept to it and took it up, and returned .to
the library. All still, deadly stilL He
heard for tho first time tho ticking of tho
clock on the mantelshelf. He lowered tho
gas in tho chandelier, as if ho feared to see
too much whon ho should remove tho coat
from tho silent figure in tho chair. He went
behind it and lifted tho cover gontly, bit by
bit, until the faco was exposed. Then he
recoiled from it, then approached it afresh;
touched it, listened to it raised ono of its
hands, felt its pulse, listened at its hoart
All still; no sound, only the two clocks and
a distant roll of thunder.
"Pull yoursolf together!" hissed between
his teeth the living man, who now almost
envied the dead. "Everything works for
you?heaven aud hell, even the night, dark
ness and storm."
Tho hall clock struck ten. He listened and
counted every stroko as tho hammor fell.
"No more!" ho said, taking out his watch,
looking at it, and then placing it to his ear.
"No more! The Fatos are with me. Now
to business! What is thereto foar? Adoad
man Is nothing?dust, clay, a clol, noth
ing. Come. John Needham, to business!"
Ho reached over to tho spirit decanters
and pouring into a glass a large quantity of
whisky drunk it off. Then stretching him
self unto his full height, he turne I up his
sleeves, upostrophiziug the corpso as ho did
so.
'"You are John Needham?poor Needham,
member of jtarlinment, banker, tho ruined
financier, and you must not be found dressed
in Joseph Norbury's clothes?come! It will
not matter to you how you are dressed; it
will tome. Joseph Norbury must not go
nbmt in John Needham's coat, nor woar
Joseph Norbury's watch, nor cyry Joseph
Norbury's purse, dot anything olso that is
his! Come!'
It seemed as if the situation, the whisky,
and the gift of life with a now name, made
physically & now man <>f the villain. He
I workea at his guastly business with the
j energy of a giant and the vigor of a looter
j on a battlefield. Once or twice be refreshod
, himself from the spirit decanter, and wiped
the perspiration from bis face.
When tho changes bad boen made be
! tween the living and tbe dead, which the
living considered sufficient, then came the
j no less difficult work of removing tho
; body; but tho murderer was equal to the
! occasion. Ho carried it out into tho yard
' and thrust it into the brougham, which ho
j had already dragged out of tho carriago
bouso for the purpose. Thcro was not a
single detail that be had not thought out on
the lines of his own proposed suicide.
He had not permitted himself, so far, to
change a singlo item of bis original plan
excej.t this incident of driving to Hamp
stedd; for he bad argual that if his scheme
was simple and bad no hitch in it, all he
bad to do was to fit his substitute into tho
plan. Tho only change was tbe brougham.
His own idea had been to walk to the
scene of his own death, a favorite rcaort in
life, and there take his fatal dose. The in
troduction of tho brougham had necessi
tated tho absonce of the servants. These
supplementary incidents bad worked out
so far to his satisfaction, the most tremen
dous of all of them, the discovery of tho
substitute, having boen in Needham's opin
ion little less than miraculous.
Having deposited his ghastly load in tho
brougham, he leaned, gasping, against the
coach house; for though he had carried his
load with something like the grip of an ex
pert at such work, balancing the weight of
the difficult and awkward burden so as to
make it bearable, he could hardly stand
erect for some minutes. Presently, how.
ever, ho wont back into tho house, straight
ened his room, washed and laid aside "tho
extra coffee cup, placed in his pocket the
phial of poison, carefully removed all traces
of his visitor; then going.into the hall and
putting on Norbury's light overcoat, taking
bis own on his arm, and his crush hat in
his hand, bo returned to the stables and ?har
nessed the cob to tbe brougham. Opening
the gates stealthily he looked out. No one
stirring, the night dark, a steady rain fall
ing; everything still favored tho criminal
and his work. He led the horse through
the gateway, put out the lantern, placed it
insido the doors, whichho carefully closed;
aud then, mounting the box seat, drove
quietly through thi Mows and out into
Marylebone road.
The rain fell in a steady downpour. Tho
perfume of roses and stocks from adjacent
gardens filled the dripping atmosphere; but
in the imagination of the solitary driver of
the silent passenger the gas lamps pointed
their short arms at him. The long, glaring
reflections of the lights on tho wet pave
ments seomod to follow him. He drove on,
nevertheless, and to his troubled fancy the
wheels of the brougham made an awful
noiso. His horse clattered over tbe stones
as if with tho design of calling attention to
tho awful thing be was dragging. "That
is why they walk the horses in a hearse,
and the mourning coaches that follow creep
along," tho driver thought, "tho noise is so
groat!" Ho pulled the cob into a walk. |
"Yos," he thought, "tbat must be it; thero
is more noise attending tho romoval of tho
dead than the living?a kind of sympathy,
as if tho stones spoke, as somebody has, I
thiulr, suggostcd. But now that his horse
only walked through the rain, ho noticed
that as cabmen rattled by thoy turned to J
look at him Ho bad not lighted the lamps
of bis brougham, so tbat the light of pass
ing vehicles seemed to flash upon him and
try to unnorvo him. Ho therefore urged
the horse once more into a trot, and rattled
over the stones with the rest of the traffic.
Ho turned into tbe Allsopp Mews, aud
would have gone through Clarence gate into
tho park, but ho dared not risk having to
pull up for gates to bo opened and shut; so
ho kept to tho road, turning into Upper
Gloucester place, now at a walking pace,
now at a trot, the gas lamps pointing at
him as before, and the blood-red glare of a
druggist's lamp that fell shoor across his
path making him shudder. But on ho went,
round Park road, past Primrose hill, and
now skirting its western side, and so into
Haverstock hill, finally climbing the steep
ascent to Hampstead. Passing the last
lights of house and lamp, the driver plunged
with his silent passenger into tho darkness,
made visible at intervals by sharp flashes
of lightning, the impressive atUlness of the
night being heightened by thunder that
rolled ovf-r tho hill and into tho distant vol
leys, leaving behind it long listening
pauses of silence,
TO DE CONTINUED.
URIC GUANO.
TO THE MANY ENQUIRERS I WOULD
state that one car has arrived. The de
mand for this MANURE will be larger
than supposed.
To CASH BUYERS the price will he re
markably low.
Orders Idled as rapidly as possible.
TO OW.KK1IS OF STKAJI
MILLS, ic., &c.
1 have just received a lot of WROUGHT
IRON V?, % and 1 inch, PIPING, COUP
LINGS, ELBOWS, B. G. BRASS VALVES,
CHECK VALVES and PACKING STUFF
AN INVOICE OF
FEESH FLOUR.
GOOD at ?5.00. BEST AT 50.00.
ALSO,
BRICK, CEMENT,
PLASTER PARIS,
LIME, HAUL
Stock Food and Hay
ON HAND.
John A. Hamilton.
Yan OrsileirsPMoppli Ballen
OVER B. B. OWEN'S, Russell Street,
Orangeburg, S. C.
To THE PUBLIC : 1 have opened a lirst
class Photo Gallery. I would lie pleased to
have samples of work examined at Gallery.
All werkstricklyfirst-class.
Photos of Groups and Babies a speciality
j by Instant method. All Vowing Exteriors,
Dwellings, Horses, Dogs and Animate
! taken at short notice by instant method.
Old pictures coplciljand enlarged. Special
I attention given to this branch of work.
; Pictures finished in water colors, India Ink
i and Crayon. Also Photo taken from the
j size of smallest pocket to fnil life 3x3 feet
j All work done with neatness and dispatch.
: Vewing any where iu the State. Special
.discounts on all orders over ?10.00. Give
line a call, 1 will assure satisfaction. All
! work CASH ON DELIVERY. Postively
< no credit. VAN OPSDELL, Artist,
July 17 Russell street, Orangeburg, S. C.
SPRING AND SUMMER 1886.
HENRY KOHN
ALWAYS IN THE LEAD, AND
showing a magnificent stock of seasonable
DRESS GOODS. Ladies Whtte and Col
ored
SIMMERSIITS
in new and exclusive designs, consisting of
India Mulle, Cambric, Lawn and Batiste.
Prices much reduced, You can get an ele
gant Robe and Trimmings complete for
53.25.
IT IS POSITIVELY TRIE
HENRY KOHN is selling DRY GOODS
cheaper this Spring, than they have ever
been sold before.
Calicoes from 3K cents up.
Dress Ginghams 7 cents up.
40 inch India Lawn 1254 cents.
Pacific Colored Lawns G}4 cents, former
price 12>? cents.
4-4 Bleaching 7 cents, former price 10.
Uandercheifs at 3 cents.
1000 yards of Remnants of Worsted
Dress Goods at (i cents and up.
DO YOU WANT
a nice and cheap SUMMER DRESS, if so
HENRI KOHN'S is the place, you can
get Satteens, Ginghams, Cambrics, Grena
dines, Surah Silks, Grosgrain Silk, Black
Tricotiue, India Foulards, China Pongees,
Spanish and Oriental Loce Nets for Suits.
CRINKLE CLOTH
is the popular wash goods this season.
Large variety at HENRY KOHN'S. 15
cents per yard.
Novelties in striped and figured Bourette
Camels Hair Cloth, Albertross Nuns Yeil
ings, Egyptian Suitings.
BI?URNIN<B GOODS.
We have been induced to keep the genuine
FRENCH MUSLINS AND SATEENS,
also Tamise Albertross, Crape Cloth, Tri
cot Homespun, Batiste, Cashmeres and
Silk Warp Henrietta Cloths, all warranted
to give satisfaction.
LACES
Elegant variety of all over Laces. Orien
tal and Egyptian Flouncing and Edgings,
newest designs.
"WE'VE GOT YOU ON THE
LIST"
young man to sell you a SPRING SUIT OF
CLOTHING. You know that HENRY
KOHN is Headquarters for MEN AND
BOY'S CLOTHING. It is needless to go
into details, but our CLOTHING this sea
son is all made up with the Patent Square
Shoulders and Corset fitting waists. We
have also the Crinkle, Coats and Yests.
And suits for extra size men.
"HODGES"
is the name ofthebest UNLAUNDRIED
SHIRT I have ever handled, and I have
had the "Globe," "Diamond" and "Qua.
kcrCity/' but this "HODGES" SHIRT
beats them all. Price Si.00. We still
have that Wonderful 50 cent linen bosom
Shirt.
LADIES HATS.
A very choice line of Ladies TRIMMED
HATS for early Spring Wear. All the
new shapes.
It ID GLOVES,
BOYS CLOTHING, new Spring Styles.
BIATTINGS,
Art Squares, Canton Mattings in all colors,
and plain from cents per yard.
BODY BRUSSELS, TAPESTRY AM)
INGRAIN,
HOLLAND SHADES, one yard wide and
two yards long, with fancy dads, sprint!
rollers all complete?1.00
LACE CURTAINS
of all kinds, including the handsome pat
terns in Scrim at 15 and 20 cents per yard.
HENRY KOHN'S
DRY GOODS BAZAAR,
N. B. BUTTERICK'S METROPOLE
TAN PATTERNS, APE SOLD ONLY
i AT HENRY KOHN.
! WHITE SEWING MACHINE STILL
IN THE LEAD, TOOK ALL THE PRE*
j MIUMS AT THE STATE FAIR.
I HENRY KOHN.